Hostage Crisis: The Critical Challenge in the Gaza Conflict

Just hours separated the first video released by Hamas about its hostages and the response from the mother of one of the female hostages. It is the most challenging issue for Israel, the United States, and several European countries after the spokesman for the Al-Qassam Brigades, Abu Ubaida, announced on Monday that the number of hostages in the "Operation Al-Aqsa Flood" at Hamas and other Palestinian factions is 250.

The release of these hostages, according to Hamas, is linked to the field conditions in Gaza, which has been under continuous bombardment for the eleventh consecutive day. 

Hamas' demand for a ceasefire in exchange for releasing the hostages has added additional pressure on the government of Benjamin Netanyahu.

Hamas revealed the number of hostages concurrently with its announcement of the death of twenty-two hostages due to Israeli airstrikes, the latest being artist Guy Olives, according to Abu Ubaida. 

The hostages file is advancing in the war between Hamas and Israel to the extent that some observers consider it may impede the launch of the Israeli ground offensive on the Gaza Strip.

How not, when a number of hostages hold American citizenship, and President Joe Biden, who is due to arrive in Israel within hours, will not forego any of them. 

In exchange for this scene, several regional and international efforts are being made to release the hostages, notably from Qatar and Turkey. 

Note that the content of the discussions on this file has not been disclosed for fear of exposing it to danger.

Ultimately, the hostage file is the mother of all battles in the "Operation Al-Aqsa Flood."